Looking For Home
by 09Echo
Summary: Emma wishes more than anything that she could find a place to call home. When she meets Matt Kent she is happier than she has ever been, but there is more to her past than even she knows. Clois, Chlollie AFTER SEASON 10
1. Chapter 1

Looking For Home

**Chapter One**

February 13, 2026

Matthew bounded down the stairs two at a time. He had just had the most incredible dream and he was just dying to tell his parents all about it. However, the sight he saw in the kitchen stopped him dead in his tracks. His mom was sitting at the table crying and his father had his arms wrapped around her protectively. His mother was looking at something he couldn't see.

Matt timidly entered the kitchen unsure of what else to do and sat in the chair next to his mom. She was looking at some fuzzy black and white pictures of a baby. He had seen some before and knew they had a funny name. Something starting with a S.

"Is that me?" Matt asked.

Lois and Clark looked over to their son. They hadn't even realized he had come in.

"No son. That isn't you." Clark replied solemnly while Lois just let out a small whimper.

"Is it Charlie?" Matt asked naming his older cousin and the only other logical choice in his mind.

Clark stepped to the side of Lois's chair and knelt down so he was at eye level with his son.

"Do you remember when you were four?" Clark asked.

Matthew thought for a second and then shook his head no. He didn't really remember a lot from when he was four even though it was only three years earlier.

"Do you remember when Mommy had a big belly?" Clark asked.

Lois shut the photo album closed and rushed out of the kitchen.

"Kinda," Matt said, "Why is Mommy so sad?"

"Mommy and me had another baby for a little while when you were four." Clark answered.

"I don't remember." Matt admitted.

"That's because she didn't come home. She was just in Mommy's tummy for awhile, but then she was gone."

"Did she die like Grandpa Jon?" Matt asked quietly. His Daddy didn't like to talk about his Grandpa too much.

"Yeah she did." Clark said, "And it makes Mommy sad to think about the other baby, so she tries not to."

"Then why was she looking at the pictures?" Matt asked. It seemed perfectly logical to him to not look at something that makes you sad. Just like he doesn't like to look at pictures of his friend Ben who moved away.

"It's her birthday today that's why." Clark said, "We always think about her on her birthday."

"That looks like Mommy's name." Matt said pointing to the front of the album.

"It is. This says Eloise, but if you take out the e's it says Lois, which is Mommy's name."

"So the baby was Eloise?"

"Yes. We named her Eloise."

"And Eloise is my sister?"

"She was Matt. She's not anymore. She's gone now."

"Dead."

Clark nodded. His composure was waning. He was surprised it had lasted this long. He stood up and went over to the cabinets. He grabbed out some cereal and poured it in a bowl along with some milk.

"Here," Clark said handing the bowl to his son, "Why don't you go watch some cartoons."

"But I'm not supposed to eat in the living room."

"Just this once," Clark replied, "It's okay just this once."

Matt walked off to the living room confused at his luck, but not questioning it.

Clark waited until he heard the TV turn on then let out a stiff sob and fell to the floor crying.

()()()()()()()

Three Years Ago

"Two months isn't that much," Clark thought trying to rationalize it to himself. He was trying not to worry, but it wasn't working. He wanted to be with his wife. He wanted to be with his baby, but they wouldn't let him in the operating room. This wasn't a standard caesarian and they needed everyone in the room calm. Calm and ready.

"How is she?" Chloe asked rushing over to Clark being swallowed by his big embrace.

"I don't know. I've been trying to listen in, but I can't focus." Clark replied soberly.

"They're going to be okay Clark," Chloe replied, "Lois is strong and your kid is too."

Clark started shaking and Chloe tightened her grip on him. She had never seen Clark loose it like this before. He was utterly shaken to the core and nothing, not even her presence, seemed to ground him.

()()()()()()()

There is no more foreign feeling than someone cutting your baby out from inside you. Or at least Lois could think of none. Granted the area was desensitized so she could feel no pain, but Lois's overactive imagination and rich vocabulary were providing her with a crystal clear picture of what the doctor's were doing. Lois shut her eyes tight. She wished that Clark was here with her. This seemed to be taking forever.

"Alright, let's close her up." A Doctor said and Lois's ears perked to attention. She could hear doctors talking, but no crying.

"Is she okay?" Lois asked desperate for an answer, "Is my baby okay?"

"Calm down Mrs. Kent." One doctor told her. He was watching her heart rate spiking as she worried.

But Lois couldn't calm down. Her baby wasn't crying.

The next thing Lois knew she heard a lot of beeping and saw red.

()()()()()()()

The last surgery Sarah Colt should have been assisting was the Kent caesarian, but right before she came in so did three shot victims and Sarah was moved where her expertise could be of use. She had been a nurse at Metropolis General Hospital for five years and she was great at aiding in emergency deliveries.

However, the staff didn't know that she had gotten back her test results today. Sarah and her husband Eric had been trying for a baby for 4 years to no avail and today she learned why. It was a combination of factors really, but to put it simply Sarah was incapable of bearing children. In a way she was looking forward to dealing with someone else's problems for awhile, but she hadn't expected this.

Mrs. Kent's heart rate was increasing worrying Doctor Hanson, but just as Sarah was about to react Doctor Adams motioned her to come over to the baby. Adams just shook her head and Sarah looked down at the small baby. At 28 weeks that little girl had a good chance of survival, but sometimes babies just died and there was nothing you could do.

Sarah wrapped the baby up and carried it out of the room. She hated this part of the job, but someone had to take the baby to be…well…disposed of. And as she turned into the room and placed the baby down she heard a muffled noise. Sarah pulled the blanket off of the baby's face and it started to cry a healthy baby cry. It made no sense. It was a miracle. Sarah gathered the baby back up in her arms and she cooed contentedly. And as Sarah was about to reach for the door handle she stopped herself. No one knew this baby was alive. As far as they knew she was gone. The Kent's would be heartbroken, but they had a chance. They could try again. They could have another kid. Sarah couldn't have any.

So, Sarah grabbed a doctor's coat from a rack nearby and tucked the baby under her arm. When they asked her tomorrow she would say that it was just too much and she had to run out. And in a week or so she would request a transfer to another city. She could fake some paperwork and go to a place where no one knew the baby wasn't hers.

A gut feeling caught Sarah right in the chest as she walked out the door of the hospital. However, she pushed it down and kept going.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

June 15, 2041

Emma Colt sat on the steps looking around at the red brick and empty parking lot. She was done with school. Not even in her wildest dreams could she get into college. She had barely passed high school, but not for lack of trying. It just didn't help that she switched schools five times in the last four years. Her school records were a jumbled mess, but that is what you got being in foster care.

Emma sighed and looked down to the letter in her hands. This was not something she was expecting by any means. Ava, her social worker, had handed it to her after graduation. She had showed up just for that. She didn't walk or even go to the ceremony, but she came afterwards to say goodbye to Ava. Aging out of the system wasn't a walk in the park, but Emma got the traditional 200 dollars as well as the envelope. All Ava said was that it was hers. It was from some bank. An account her parents had made for her. This money, unlike the rest, hadn't been taken to pay off the mortgage or to pay for funeral costs. It was all hers.

Emma opened the envelope slowly careful not to rip the contents inside. She pulled out a single piece of paper. A bank statement. She sighed in disappointment. Part of her had wished there was a note of some kind from her parents inside, but no such luck. It didn't surprise her. Her parents didn't know they were going to die. It was an accident. A car accident.

When she unfolded the piece of paper the number at the bottom stood out like a sore thumb. $5,345.97. She had never had that much money in her life! In fact most of the homes she stayed in growing up didn't have that much in their bank accounts. By all means she was rich. Not enough to get a really fancy car or a penthouse, but enough to get her started. Enough so she could leave this town and not look back.

"Goodbye Granville. Hello Star City." Emma said smiling to herself.

()()()()()()()

"I'm just moving across the country mom not the universe." Matt said still captured in what seemed to be a never ending hug from his mother.

"I'm just going to miss you." Lois said finally releasing her son and brushing away one defiant tear.

"I can be home in a blink," Matt said disappearing and reappearing right behind her, "There's nothing to miss."

"I know." Lois replied.

Matt looked at her questioningly eyebrows raised.

"I do," Lois reiterated, "I just don't want my baby to move away."

"Sorry I'm late," Clark said appearing seemingly out of nowhere. He was just about to wish his son goodbye when he heard screams.

"It's cool Dad." Matt said, "You take care of the central states and I'll take care of the west coast."

"That's not how it works son." Clark said, "But I can always use the help and I know you are ready now."

"Finally taking the training wheels off hugh?" Matt replied jovially.

"Well, you are my son after all." Clark said, "You know I accept things in my own time."

"No prob Dad." Matt said understandingly, "Just let me be the hero I was born to be."

"You already are." Lois piped up encouragingly. Matt was everything she dreamed her son would be and more.

()()()()()()()

June 18, 2041

Two hundred and fifty dollars and three and a half days later Emma arrived in Star City. The bus stop wasn't the most gorgeous local to end up in, but it was a start. It was a good thing the city was close knit and that she only had a duffel bag and her backpack. After being in that cramped space for so long she was up for a walk.

And this walk inevitably ended up being an apartment hunt. She needed a place to live and when she saw a for rent sign outside a complex she went in to talk to the owner. The man literally laughed in her face. No steady work, no employment history, no one to co-sign on a rental form. He pretty much assured her she was screwed. In fact his exact words were, "No one in their right mind would lease to you." Emma hadn't realized it was going to be so hard, but she was more than willing to fight the uphill battle to starting a new life.

()()()()()()()

"They would be so pissed if they knew." Charlie said.

"I know," Matt replied, "But I needed to get out. To be on my own."

"You don't even have a place yet." Charlie added.

"Correction. I do have a place. I just can't move in until July." Matt said.

"You are literally sleeping on my couch."

"It's a comfy couch."

"I know. I miss sitting on it." Charlie laughed.

"You offered. It's your own fault."

"I felt bad for you. Overprotective parents and all."

"Yeah well…par for the course I guess." Matt replied, "You should hear the stories Dad tells about growing up. His Dad wouldn't let him play football. His parents pretty much kept him under lock and key."

"They didn't know what to expect," Charlie said, "He was the first."

"But not the last." Matt replied.

And out of nowhere Matt heard a small cry for help.

"Duty calls." Matt said and he changed his clothes in a flash. His costume was nearly identical to his dad's. He flew out the window of his cousin's apartment and rushed to the scene a large smile on his face. He liked his job. Especially now that he got to do it on his own.

()()()()()()()

June 24, 2041

Emma began her daily ritual by sitting down at Star Diner with a coffee, a donut, and a newspaper. She had spent every day since she arrived scouring the job section of the Star City Register and pounding the pavement. Her job search had been just as encouraging as her apartment search, but she figured the job would help her with the apartment. For the first time ever she found herself thanking her English Teacher for making her write a resume. It wasn't much by any means, but it at least gave her something to staple to job applications.

Emma tossed the paper aside with a sigh. There were no new listings since yesterday. Emma thought about going to the library computers again and searching there, but that had been even less helpful to her than the paper.

"The paper." Emma thought, "I wonder if they need any help. It must be a big operation. I'd pass out coffee if I had to. I just need a place to start."

()()()()()()()

So Emma left a tip on the table and headed out smiling thinking about a buzzing newsroom and herself in a suit with a pen on her ear.

The paper was a mad house when Emma arrived. People were rushing around all over the office and no one noticed her arrival or paid her any attention at all. She looked around for someone who could guide her to Human Resources or something, but the more she walked through the crowd the more she kept bumping into people. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a nameplate she recognized. It was on the door of a decent sized office and it read, Chloe Sullivan Senior Reporter and Assistant to the Editor. Emma was debating whether or not to knock when the door flew open.

"Oh thank God." Chloe said ushering the girl into her office, "Human Resources said they were sending someone over."

"That's me." Emma lied with a big fake smile on her face.

"Sorry that there isn't much time for a tour right now, but there is a big story going with The Flash saving…well I'm sure you've heard." Chloe said while pulling a stack of paper out, "I need fifteen copies of each of these in the board room in half an hour."

"Sure thing." Emma replied walking out the office with Chloe surging on ahead of her, "Where's the copier?"

But Emma's question fell on deaf ears as Chloe had already made her way to the elevator and dialing her phone as she waited.

"I guess I'll find it myself." Emma said heading off in search of the nearest copy room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

June 24, 2041

Chloe had called him in on another one of her fact finding missions. Matt knew his parents were behind it, but humored them just the same. They wanted to come visit him, but he was stalling. Only six more days and he could have them over no worries. He could set up the apartment in a flash. It didn't help though that his mother was more anxious than the first time he went away to camp.

He exited the elevator heading straight for his Aunt's office when he spotted a helpless looking girl out of the corner of his eye. She was looking around the room hopelessly lost with an arm full of papers.

"Need a hand?" Matt asked nonchalantly walking up to the girl.

"I just need to know where a copier is." The girl replied.

"There is one right around the corner. It's the third door on the-"

"Thanks. I can find it." The girl replied cutting him off and speeding away.

"Hey wait up." Matt replied, "I can show you."

Before he had even caught up the girl was feeding pages into the copier.

"You're a quick study."

"I have 10 minutes to get these in the board room. I don't have time not to be."

"Well it was obvious you were in a hurry, but I didn't even catch your name."

"Does it really matter? I'm the new errand girl. Designed to be invisible. I don't need to be distracting people from doing their jobs."

"I don't work here." Matt replied, "My Aunt does."

"That's nice." She muttered returning her attention to the copier.

"You sure make a guy earn it don't you?" Matt asked a small smile on his face.

"What?" She replied looking around at him quizitively.

"Your name."

"Emma. Emma Colt. I'm new in town and I can't risk losing this chance, so sorry but I have to go attempt to find the board room."

"I can take you."

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why are you so surprised?"

Three Hours Later

"I'm sorry I'm so late Mrs. Queen." The young man said apologetically.

"Late for what? Who are you?" Chloe asked.

"The temp agency sent me over. I'm here for the assistant's position."

"There must be some mistake. They already sent someone over early this morning."

"The agency called me first thing. I only just got here because of a hold up on the subway."

"Alright. Why don't you go get yourself a coffee? There is a staff longue a floor down. It's on the right. You can't miss it."

"Okay." He replied uncertainly, "But about the job-"

"Just be back up in twenty minutes and I'll let you know." Chloe replied diplomatically. Something was up. She just had to figure out what.

The man left and she pulled up the number of the temp agency and called over to them.

"It's nice of you to show me around and everything, especially since everyone is so busy, but I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can, but this is a nice break from the job hunt."

"I see that. It's a pretty tough world out there. At least you have some experience."

"What makes you think that?"

"You walk around here like you own the place and your aunt just works here. I got a feeling you know the business world pretty well."

"I grew up in newsrooms. My parents are both reports, and my aunt obviously, it has nothing to do with the business world."

"Well I just-"

A voice came up from behind Emma.

"We need to talk."

"Would you care to explain to me why a man came in my office not five minutes ago from the temp agency?" Chloe asked.

Emma looked down at her lap in response. What was she going to say? This looked bad. Really bad. She might as well pack her bags and leave town.

"Alright. Well I think that you lied to me."

"I'm sorry." Emma replied meekly, "I just needed a job and you really needed help."

"Tell me why I should keep you here after this. Tell me why."

"Haven't you ever wanted a chance? I mean really wanted one. I've wanted a lot of things in my life that I haven't got. I just want a fresh start. A truly fresh start is one of those things. I should have…I'm sorry…but I will work my butt off every day to prove to you that this wasn't a mistake."

"Go home," Chloe started. Emma stood up defeated, "Bring in your social security card and driver license tomorrow. We will have to do a background check, but if it goes through alright you can start work again on Monday."

"Thank you." Emma replied smiling and going over to shake Chloe's hand, "You won't regret this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

July 14, 2041

The more Emma worked for Chloe, the more Chloe suspected the girl was hiding something. She tended to keep to herself which was odd. Most people who work for papers spend their time schmoozing with the bosses but not Emma. She would get her task and then just go with little small talk. Chloe had tried inviting her to lunch a few times but Emma got a petrified look on her face whenever Chloe would mention it. So Chloe decided to pull out the big guns. She noticed that Emma talked to her nephew on the rare occasion that he stopped by, so she decided to enlist him.

"I don't know." Matt said, "It feels kinda…sneaky. Like you're trying to get her to confess to a crime or something."

"It's not that." Chloe assured him, "I just get the feeling that she isn't saying something. That doesn't mean it's good, bad, or otherwise. It's just a hunch."

"Ha!" Matt laughed, "The last hunch my parents had was that I was being dishonest and they recruited you to get it out of me."

"Well you were." Chloe replied, "And you dragged Charlie into it too."

"He's 27. I think he can make his own decisions. And so can I."

"You're getting off topic. Will you do it or not?"

"I'll do it." Matt decided, "But I'm not guaranteeing you that I will tell you what I find out."

()()()()()()()

"Hey Emma."

"Hey Matt."

"So you want to go to lunch?"

"Why?"

"Just want to hang out. You know talk and stuff."

"Okay." Emma said unsure of his motives, "But it's two. I had lunch already."

"How about dinner then?"

"Wow!" Emma replied, "This seems urgent. Can't even wait until tomorrow?"

"Well I am the most swinging bachelor in town. I keep my nights pretty booked."

Emma laughed a bit in response. This guy was something else.

"Okay sure. Tonight's fine."

"Six?"

"Okay. If you don't mind picking me up here."

"Man they work you 'till six. I thought you mostly made copies."

"I like it here."

"Okay. Whatever. I'll see you at six." Matt says walking away.

Emma smiles and waves.

"Wait." She thought, "Did I just agree to go on a date?"

()()()()()()()

Matt hadn't had a night like this in a long time. They chatted about work, movies, and even family a bit. He couldn't put his finger on what made this night so special when it came to him. He hadn't heard a single cry for help during the entire two hour dinner. It wasn't unheard of, but it had been a long time since that had happened. He was about to shake off his Aunt's feeling as a figment of her imagination when Emma did something peculiar.

"So thanks for the meal. I see you around." Emma said walking out with Matt and starting to hail a cab.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked.

"Just getting a cab." Emma replied as if he was blind.

"I was going to drive you home." Matt said.

"No it's fine." Emma said, "I live kinda far and I don't want to be a bother."

"I picked you up. It's customary that I drive you home. It's the gentlemanly thing to do."

A cab stopped on the corner and Emma was about to get in when Matt tapped the top signaling it to leave.

"Why don't you want me to drive you home?" Matt asked.

"It's just…It's just…I don't live in a very nice place is all." Emma said.

"That's even more of a reason for me to drive you." Matt said, "To make sure you get home safe. I insist."

Emma hesitantly got into his car and gave him street by street directions to her place.

When he pulled up Matt got what Emma was talking about. It was some crummy motel on the wrong side of town which didn't make any sense. The paper paid pretty well even for copy jockeys.

"I've gotta go." Emma said quickly unfastening her seat belt and going for the door handle when Matt grabbed her hand.

"Why are you living here?" Matt said.

"It's fine." Emma said trying to avoid the subject and just leave.

"Emma." Matt said concerned.

Emma was about to just get out when he said that. No one had ever sounded so concerned for her before. At least not anyone who wasn't getting paid to do so.

"No previous rental experience, little work history, no parent to co-sign. I'm pretty much un-leasable."

"Why won't your parents co-sign?" Matt asked.

"No parents to do it." Emma replied matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry." Matt said, "I didn't know."

"It's fine." Emma said, "It was a long time ago. And I can take care of myself. I have a place and no one has given me any trouble."

"Alright." Matt replied.

Emma got out and started opening the door when Matt popped out and blurted:

"I have a spare bedroom."

"But that would be weird. I mean you barely know me."

"I know enough."

"But you're a guy and I'm a girl. It's not a good mix."

"You're like my little sister."

Emma looked taken aback.

"I don't mean that in a bad way. I just mean that's what it'll be like. Like we're brother and sister or cousins or whatever. It's not a big deal if cousins share an apartment right?"

"I guess." Emma replied.

"Is that a yes?"

July 17, 2041

"I can't believe this is all you have." Matt said hauling Emma's duffel bag up the flight of stairs.

"What were you expecting?" Emma replied, "I told you I don't have a lot."

"Yeah. I don't have a lot either, but I have more than 2 bags. Aren't girls infamous for having too much stuff?"

"Not every girl is like that. Besides traveling across the country with more than two bags is a little ridiculous."

"Across the country?" Matt asked.

"Well Kansas to here anyway."

"That is so crazy." Matt replied, "I grew up in Kansas. What part of Kansas are you from?"

"All over." Emma replied, "I moved a lot."

"Ever been to Smallville? That's where I grew up. My dad too."

"Nope can't say I have." Emma replied, "Speaking of your parents what do they think about all this?"

"All what?"

"Me moving in here."

"Well…" Matt uttered.

"You're grave man." Emma replies heading into her room closing the door behind her. She looks around and then opens the door again.

"I think I'm gonna need a bed."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

July 24, 2041

"I'm glad you finally agreed to come to lunch with me." Chloe said.

"Yeah well…It's kind of unusual for an intern to be asked to lunch with someone in your position. Not that it's not nice or anything. It's just weird and I wasn't sure what was up and…I should stop talking now." Emma blabbered.

"It's okay." Chloe replied with a small chuckle, "How have you been liking your work at the paper?"

"It's great." Emma replied.

"You have great instincts and I was thinking-" Chloe said, but she was interrupted by a ringing.

It was Chloe's phone. She spoke quickly to the person on the line, grabbed her purse, and started walking out the door.

"You coming?" Chloe said over her shoulder and Emma quickly caught up with her.

()()()()()()()

Chloe rushed out of the car to the crime scene, she already had a notebook out and was talking to someone from the police. Emma didn't know anyone and doubted they would talk to her anyways so she walked around outside in the back alley. The store had been robbed during the night and maybe she could find something out back. Emma walked up and down the alley a bit stopping at the dumpster for a moment. Just as she was about to walk away she heard a noise. It was so faint that most people would have passed it by, but Emma opened the dumpster.

Inside, under a bag of trash was a small bundle of blankets. Emma pulled back the top layer of blankets to see a small little baby face. She carefully lifted the baby out of the dumpster and ran into the store.

"Call 911." Emma exclaimed, "We need an ambulance."

Everyone in the room looked confused.

"There was a baby in the dumpster just call it damn it!" Emma yelled at them.

Emma was shaking. She wasn't aware of anything else going on around her until she felt her arms free of the weight that had been there only seconds before. She fell to the ground crying.

()()()()()()()

Chloe and Emma sat in the hospital in silence. They were waiting for news on the baby. Chloe had told Emma it was for the story, but that was only half the reason. Emma's outburst while somewhat understandable seemed out of place.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Chloe asked.

Emma shook her head and walked off. She didn't want to talk about it, but she couldn't help thinking about it.

September 18, 2027

Emma's feet swung back and forth on the chair. She stared at the floor tiles and looked at the funny patterns her mind made her see. The door to her right opened and her dad walked out and ushered her into the little room. Her mom was laying on the bed holding a little bundle in her arms. Emma climbed up into the chair and looked at the little face all curled up in the blankets. Her Dad knelt down by the chair so he was face level with her.

"Emma we need to tell you something." Dad said to her tenderly.

"Remember when we told you that some people are only Mommies and Daddies for awhile." Mom added.

Emma nodded her head remembering the words, but not really understanding.

"You are going to go live with another Mommy and Daddy now." Dad said.

Emma looked back and forth from her Mom to her Dad and shook her head vehemently.

"No!" Emma exclaimed, "No! No! No!"

She started crying and she curled into a ball on the chair.

September 21, 2027

Emma was holding the baby in her arms with Mom watching over her intently. It seemed to be the only way to get attention anymore and she liked looking at the little face, especially when it smiled. There was a knock on the door and Dad went to get it. It was a special day today because Dad was there for the third day in a row. He usually had to go to work after two days.

A strange woman walked in the door. Mom took away the baby. Dad pulled a little pink suitcase and Emma's pre-school backpack out and handed them to the lady at the door.

"Time to go Emma." Dad said.

Emma got up excited to be going on a trip. As she reached the door, the lady reached for her hand and they starting walking away together. Then Emma turned back and saw her parents standing still. She let go of the lady's hand and ran to the door. To her shock Dad closed it in her face. Emma stood in stunned silence. The lady came over and grabbed her hand again, but Emma fell to the ground and began crying. The woman sighed, threw the bag over her shoulder, and hauled Emma to the car kicking and crying.

July 24, 2041

Chloe rounded the corner and found Emma sobbing in front of the baby nursery. She put a hand on Emma's shoulder.

"I was a foster kid." Emma said quietly, "My first foster family gave me up when they had their own kid."

There was a silence and while Chloe was deciding what to say Emma continued.

"I just thought I was over it you know." Emma added.

"Is there anything I can do?" Chloe asked not knowing what would be comforting in this situation.

"Would you take me home?" Emma asked.

Chloe nodded and headed out of the hospital.

()()()()()()()

Emma typed away on Matt's computer. After the day she needed closure or answers or something. She tried to play games at first, but that couldn't keep her mind off of the day she just had. Thinking back to her first foster parents just made her think of how she never truly had time with her parents. She didn't really know anything about them. Before she knew it she was online requesting a copy of her birth certificate from Metropolis General.

She wanted answers and for once, she was actually going to get them.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

September 13, 2041

"I agree it's odd Lois, but just call Chloe and find out." Clark replied

"But if it was Chloe why would she be looking into all these old files? I mean this goes as far back as The Torch." Lois inquired.

"She could be reminiscing Lois. Who knows? And she'll be here in a few hours and you can ask her yourself." Clark says.

"I don't see why we are having a big party for my 46th birthday." Lois replies.

"Well last year wasn't exactly a success with the big crime lord take down and everything. Besides, it's a good excuse to see Matt." Clark said.

"Alright. Alright. But I'm not letting this go." Lois replies, "Someone is looking into us Clark and if they look too hard we might find your name on the front page of the Star City Register."

One Month Earlier…

August 13, 2041

Emma arrived home early, or at least early for her. She had found nothing useful at work today and just needed to get out of her head for awhile. Once she got to the apartment she stopped at the mailbox out of habit. She has been waiting for her birth certificate to arrive in the mail for weeks. To her surprise a large envelope was in the box. It was so thick that it barely fit. She eagerly grabbed it and ran up to her apartment.

Matt wasn't there, so she decided to open it in the living room. She didn't really want to explain to him what it was.

Inside were lots of papers, but none was her birth certificate. She was about to throw the papers across the room in frustration when she saw her mom's name on them. Work shifts were public information and that was what she held in her hands, copies of her mother's working hours at Metropolis Hospital.

Emma sifted through a few months of records before she realized something strange. Her mom was working the day she was born. That was impossible! Labor takes like forever, and even if it didn't she couldn't imagine a woman that pregnant still working. But there it was in black and white.

August 15, 2041

Matt was having one of those busy days that could make even a Superhero tired. It seemed like every hour or so he was off saving someone or stopping a crime. He counted his blessings that his work allowed him the flexibility to take off at a moment's notice.

After taking a pair of bank robbers to jail Matt flew back into his office. He tried to focus on his work, but his mind just drifted. All he really wanted at the moment was to go home. He might even see Emma. He never heard cries for help or robbers when he was with Emma.

"Wait a second," Matt thought, "Is that really true?"

But before Matt got a chance to ruminate on that he heard a loud cry for help. It was a woman nearby. And in the time it took to fly to that woman that thought flitted away.

August 16, 2041

"Hi Matt." Emma said walking into the apartment.

"Wow! Emma," Matt replied, "It's good to see you. It seems like it's been forever."

"I do live here." Emma replied.

"That may be true but I haven't seen you in weeks. Wait. Correction, I haven't seen you awake in weeks. I've seen you asleep on the couch a few times."

"Been busy." Emma said evasively.

"That's odd, because Chloe says you've been doing just as much work as normal." Matt responded.

Emma walked over to the fridge trying to avoid the confrontation.

"She says you've been spending your spare time on the computer."

"Want to play one of your old video games." Emma diverted walking over to Matt's video games, "I think I'm starting to get the hang of Rock Band."

"What have you been working on?" Matt pushed.

"Or we could play Mario Party. I really like that one."

Matt walked over to the TV and unplugged the game console Emma had set up. He stood there waiting for her to turn around and look him in the eyes. She turned and looked right at him then quickly averted her eyes which were starting to tear up.

"I just wanted to know about my family." Emma revealed, "I didn't think it would get all complicated."

"Family is complicated." Matt replied.

"I never had one. I just moved around and around and no one ever gave a crap about me."

Matt reached over to hug her, but she reseeded, so he ended up only giving her a pat on the shoulder.

"I care about you Emma." Matt said.

August 18, 2041

"Something came for you." Chloe said holding out an envelope to Emma.

"Sorry," Emma replied, "I should have told you, but I wanted the info fast and I thought if I told them to send it to the paper-"

Chloe interrupted, "It's fine. I hope you find what you are looking for."

Chloe walked off and Emma ripped open the envelope. It listed her time of birth as 7:32pm on the 13th. And at that exact time her mom was in the ER with a patient. This birth certificate. The one she held in her hands wasn't real. So she furiously started typing away at the computer in front of her looking for who was in the ER, because she was betting that was her Mom.

August 20, 2041

Matt was trying to make dinner and Emma was trying to get past Level 3 on some Banjo game that Matt had when the power went out. They both ended up on the couch telling each other stories. Emma stuck mostly to ones told to her by her foster siblings or funny things she saw. Matt just told whatever came to mind first. And somewhere in the middle of it all he told Emma about the sister he never really had.

July 2, 2029

"Charlie and I were playing in the park. Pretending to shoot each other. Our mothers behind us talking. We were running in the rocks and Charlie feel flat out. He had road rash on his body so we both walked back over to our Moms. Charlie was dragging his feet a bit because going to his mommy for an owie made him feel week. He was almost 13.

As we got closer I saw my mom looking toward the swings. That was the complete opposite direction of where we were playing. It seemed a bit odd, but at a closer glance the girl on the swing looked a lot like Mom. She had long dark brown hair and dark eyes. But in my mother's eyes I saw a longing. A longing that the little girl on the swing was hers. A longing for a daughter.

When we got to them Chloe took Charlie home to clean him up. I sat next to my Mom and I both just watched that girl. After a while I asked my Mom a question.

'Why don't I have any brothers or sisters?'

She sighed a bit, then replied, 'I can't have any more kids Matt. When Eloise, when your sister was born they had to remove…I can't have any more kids.' "

August 20, 2041

"So I never got a sister. But Charlie has been like a brother and I've had a lot of close friends." Matt said finishing up his story, "But I always kinda missed that sister."

"Is that why you let me move in? So I could be her?" Emma asked.

"What do you think?" Matt replied.

"I don't know." Emma responded, "I don't really want to think about it. And it's my turn. I should tell you about the time Dannie rearranged all the furniture in the house. It's hilarious!"

"Well," Matt replied, "Come on. Don't keep a guy waiting."


End file.
